Lady Kell slumped to her knees. Ula pulled her spear out of her opponent’s shoulder and stepped away. Misa gasped once and then collapsed on the deck, unconscious and bleeding.
Mik knelt down, tore off the sleeve of his shirt, and pressed it over Misa’s wound. “Get a healer,” he said, glancing up at Ula. The satisfied smile on her face sent a shiver down his spine.
“Get away from her, freebooter,” Lord Kell said, pushing Mik out of the way. A woman dressed in white stepped forward and knelt beside her lord and lady. She began to minister to Misa Kell’s wound.
“The wound is deep, my lord,” the white-robed woman said. “It will take all my skill to stop the bleeding.”
Fire blazed in Benthor Kell’s gray eyes. “There was no need for you to wound her thus,” he said, glaring at Ula.
“Ula gave her the chance to withdraw,” Mik said.
“This was no game she and you entered into,” Ula said, her green eyes flashing. “If you two weren’t prepared to pay the price, you shouldn’t have challenged my rights.”
Lord Kell stood and drew his sword. Ula took a step back and aimed the bloody point of her spear at his chest. The two of them glowered at each other across the crimson stained deck.
“I should gut you where you stand,” Lord Kell hissed through clenched teeth.
“Is this how you honor the laws of combat?” Ula asked. Shimmer took up a position behind her.
“It was a fair fight,” Mik said, stepping between Kell and Ula.
Kell lowered his sword. “I will honor our word,” he said tersely. “You and your friends have won the right to be judged by the Dargonesti.” He turned toward the whiterobed woman, “How is my sister?”
“Her injury is grave,” the healer replied. “My power is not what it was before the gods departed. It will take a long time to heal.”
“Take Lady Kell to her cabin and tend her there,” Lord Kell said. He pointed to several brass-armored warriors and said, “Help the healer carry my sister.”
The warriors nodded and assisted the healer in taking Misa Kell below deck. They moved slowly and deliberately so as not to aggravate the lady’s wound. Lord Kell, his manner stem and formal, turned back to Ula.
“We sail for Darthalla,” he said. “The others will go with you, all save the kender.”
“Unacceptable,” said Mik.
Ula shot him a stem glance.
Kell ignored the sailor and addressed Ula directly. “You know the laws concerning his kind. The code of your people is no different than ours. He must be taken to kendertown on the isle of Alarl.”
“My people can take him to the city of Perch as easily as yours,” Ula said.
“I think not,” Kell replied. “Besides, we both know kender are slippery and hard to hold onto. Better he should stay with me-unless you’d care to dispute my claim… ?” He arched one auburn eyebrow and smiled wickedly.
Mik stepped forward, but Ula held him back. “Don’t,” she whispered.
“I’m not going to let him take Trip,” Mik replied.
“You can’t defeat him,” Ula said. “We’re both tired now. Kell would best either of us easily-which is exactly what he wants. Don’t give in to him.”
Mik glanced at Trip, then at Kell. The lord practically glowed with eagerness to fight. Mik felt the weariness within his own bones. He had barely slept in two days. Ula was right; Kell would win easily.
“We don’t find the treasure without him,” Mik whispered to Ula.
She nodded. “If you insist,” she said. “We can pick him up later-after we’ve escaped Kell’s clutches.”
Ula turned back to Lord Kell and smiled. “As you say, Lord Kell, there’s no point in fighting over a kender.”
Trip jumped up and kicked Ula in the shin. “Hey!” he said. “I was rooting for you!”
Mik stepped forward and grabbed Trip by the shoulder as the kender reached for his daggers. “Belay that!” Mik whispered. “Hold your weapons! I’ll explain later.”
The captain reassured the kender with a look, and Trip stopped struggling.
Ula rubbed her leg and laughed. “He’s given me better than the lady of the ship,” she said with a wry smile. “You keep him, Kell. He’s more trouble than he’s worth.”
Mik kept his hand firmly on Trip’s shoulder. “I won’t have you mistreating him,” he said to Kell.
“Even kender are treated fairly by the Order of Brass,” Kell replied haughtily.
“I’ll take that on your honor,” Mik said. “We’ve had a long and difficult journey. We’re all tired and hungry. Any help you could give in that regard would be welcome.”
Kell turned to a deck hand and said. “Bring them food and drink.”
“I could use a clean bandage for my leg,” Trip said. “Please.”
“Have our healer tend the kender’s leg when she has a spare moment,” Kell added. “As to accommodations, you may sleep on the deck with the rest of the crew. We will, however, provide blankets.” He nodded at the deck hand, who had stood awaiting the end of Kell’s orders.
The hand nodded in reply and left to fetch provisions for Mik and the rest.
Lord Kell went to the ship’s rear platform and gave their new heading to the helmsman. The ship’s drum-chanter set the beat and began the rhythmic singing that Mik and his friends had first heard when Kell’s galley emerged from the fog.
Kell took up his seat in the triarch’s chair at the boat’s stem. He made a tent of his fingers and glowered at Mik, Ula, and the rest.
The deck hand soon returned with five skins of water, a small flask of weak wine, some dried meat and bread, and a few light blankets. Shimmer declined to eat anything, though he drank some of the water.
Mik, Trip, Ula, and Karista ate as though they had not eaten for days. They savored each drop and morsel, and soon began feel themselves once more.
Solemnly, Mik offered a toast to their d$ad comrades. Even Ula joined in as they passed the wine and everyone told a brief story of Bok, Marlian, or some other lost crewmate.
Mik raised the wine flask again. “To the death of the dragon who caused all this!” he said.
Trip, Ula, and Karista murmured their assent and drank.
“I’ll share that toast,” Shimmer said. Mik handed him the skin and the bronze knight said, “To the end of Tempest and those who follow her!” He drank, then handed the flask back to Mik.
Morning slipped into afternoon under the steady rhythm of the oars. The crew tirelessly pulled the mighty trireme through the placid ocean. Mik and his friends spent much of their time leaning on the gunwales watching the scenery.
The sea around the Dragon Isles shone brilliant blue. The clear water allowed the travelers to peer into the depths below. Mik marveled at the varieties of colorful fish and strange sea plants. Turbidus dolphins and gray-striped porpoises, sleek “sea tigers,” gamboled in the trireme’s wake.
Small green atolls surrounded the larger islands, like schools of fish attending to monstrous turtles. The isles had a pristine quality, as if human beings had never actually lived here-though, occasionally, Mik saw small fishing boats plying the shorelines. Two kinds of waterfronts predominated: white sand, or forbidding rocks. Many game animals roamed the shores, but only a few people.
The clear morning sky gave way to puffy clouds, darkening toward a storm in the west. Blue and purple sea birds filled the air near the shores, diving for fish or hunting for prey along the beaches. Sometimes an albatross, a pelican, or some other sea-fishing bird would fly over the trireme.
Less frequently, they spotted the glint of sunshine off metallic wings high above the isles. Mostly the dragons were far away, and seemed to be tending their own business. Several times, though, a large brass dragon swooped near the galley.
“Tanalish,” Shimmer said.
“Keeping an eye on us for Thrakdar and the Order,” Ula added. She tightened her grip on her spear. “They’re probably wondering why we’re not headed for Berann.”
“Let them wonder,” Shimmer replied. His face remained hidden behind his bronze helmet, but they all got the impression he was smiling.